Circa 1880 Seven-Row Harem Ring with Diamonds and Gemstones

Slip this ring on and be carried back to the late nineteenth century, when the harem ring’s exuberant seven-band silhouette made colour, movement and sparkle feel wonderfully new. Antique diamonds catch the light beside ruby, sapphire, emerald, turquoise and pearls, each band adding its own note to the chorus. It has the happy confidence of an evening when jewellery was allowed to be playful, richly coloured and a little extravagant.

Jewellery type: Harem ring.

Condition: Good condition with wear consistent with age. The ring appears to retain its original multi-band construction, and no repairs are apparent on inspection.

Country of origin: unknown

Style: Late Victorian, composed as a seven-row harem ring with alternating diamond-set silver blocks and coloured gemstones and pearls.

Period: circa 1880

Material: 18K warm yellow gold, touchstone tested, with eighteen silver diamond-set blocks.

Additional information: The term “harem ring” is widely used for a ring formed of several joined bands. Its often-repeated Ottoman association is traditional rather than securely documented, and does not establish the origin of this ring.

Diamonds: Thirty-six rose-cut and senaille-cut diamonds, set in eighteen silver blocks. We individually screened every diamond in this ring using the EXA Natural Diamond Detector developed by Magilabs; each test returned a natural-diamond result.

Total diamonds: 36; no reliable total weight is available, as the rose-cut and senaille-cut diamonds are not weighed while mounted.

Rose-cut and senaille-cut diamonds are traditionally described by number rather than by estimated weight, colour or clarity. Their irregular proportions—often compounded by closed settings—make reliable weight estimation and standard grading impracticable while mounted.

Gemstones: Five rubies, three sapphires, one emerald, one peridot, two turquoise cabochons, one amethyst, one citrine and three pearls. The coloured gemstones have not been tested to determine natural or synthetic origin; the pearls have not been tested to determine whether natural or cultured.

It is common practice for gemstones to be treated to improve their colour or clarity. The coloured gemstones in this ring have not been tested for such treatments.

Traditional gemstone associations: Diamonds are traditionally associated with April; the varied gem set also includes traditional birthstones for February (amethyst), May (emerald), June (pearl), July (ruby), August (peridot), September (sapphire), November (citrine) and December (turquoise).

Dimensions: width across the ring head 22.1 mm (0.87 in) See photograph with a millimetre scale.

Weight: 8 grams

Ring size: Continental EU 58; inner diameter 18.5 mm; approximately US 8½ and UK Q½.

Resizing: Resizing is possible within certain limits. Please contact us with the desired size before purchase so that we can confirm feasibility; depending on the work required, the resizing may be free of charge or quoted in advance.

Adin Reference Nº: 26177-00203

Photography © Adin Fine Antique & Vintage Jewellery.